Emma Raducanu news: World No.12 forced to retire in final set against Daria Saville
- Planet Sport writer
- 23 February 2022
In what turned out to be the longest match in WTA history, a leg injury forced Emma Raducanu to retire in the first round of the Guadalajara Open.
Emma Raducanu's first outing since her Australian Open defeat ended in disappointment after retiring in the final set against Australia's Daria Saville.
The No.1 seed battled on for three hours and 36 minutes before an apparent leg injury forced her to retire.
Raducanu claimed the opening set after a grueling 80 minutes, bouncing back from an early break to seal the set with a break of her own in the final game.
The Briton came close to clinching the match in the second set, serving for the win at 5-3, but Saville broke back to force a tie-break. With momentum behind her, the 27-year-old kept her composure and drew level.
In the deciding set, both women were showing signs of fatigue, with Saville battling on through leg cramps while Raducanu took an off-court medical timeout.
In the longest match of the 2022 season, Daria Saville earns her 1st WTA main draw win since 2021 Australian Open after Emma Raducanu is forced to retire at 5-7, 7-6(4), 4-3 after 3 hours and 36 minutes.
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) February 23, 2022
The US Open champion eventually returned to the court with her left leg taped up, and attempted to continue for two more games before retiring from the match.
With a 5-7 7-6 (4) 4-3 victory under her belt, Saville progresses to the next round, where she'll face America's Caroline Dolehide in the round of 16.
